Off the Rails: A Journey Through Japan

Our film for Al Jazeera English’s Correspondent series is a personal look at how the country’s railways reveal so much about Japanese culture and the changes in society.

Al Jazeera’s Ramsey Zarifeh first travelled to Japan soon after graduation to teach English. Fascinated by the futuristic bullet trains and the country’s unique train network, he got to know Japan through its railways. He travelled on nearly every rail line and ended up writing a guide book based on these experiences.

Almost two decades after he first travelled there, Ramsey journeys through Japan to rediscover a country at a crossroads: at once both upholding tradition and rushing headlong towards the future.

This film recalls Ramsey’s initial journey, and is an exploration of contemporary Japan through the story of its railway and distinctive train culture.